Busy travel season

Tomorrow we set off for our latest adventure: the far north of Scotland. After an overnight stop in Inverness, we'll head up the eastern coast to the tippy-top of Britain; spend eight nights in the Orkney Islands; take a driving tour across the northern coast of Scotland; head down the northwestern coast with a couple of nights in Ullapool; and then (sadly) return home to Glasgow.

This trip has me so excited, I'm nearing the realm of euphoria.

We'll enjoy many boat rides among the islands of Orkney.

Trips like this keep me busy for weeks in advance. Planning, planning, planning. I'm a natural planner — or, at least, I was raised to be one — and that curse trait goes into overdrive when a trip is looming. Seriously, I spend hours upon hours upon hours researching where to go, what to do, events and festivals, housing, eating, photographing . . . and somebody slap me! or else I'll abandon all other activities.

{Ed.'s note: Like blogging, for example?}

Yup.

Besides our twelve-day excursion tomorrow, we've also been gallivanting around elsewhere. For example, we just returned last Friday from five days in Prague.

And a week before Prague, we spent a weekend in the southwestern Scottish borders.

Three weeks before that, we toured northeastern England for five days, visiting places like Durham, Bamburgh, and the holy isle of Lindisfarne. Even hiked a glorious stretch of Hadrian's Wall.

A month before that we were in Ireland, part of our three-week visit from Nana and Grampa Bill.

Next month, we'll likely fly off somewhere. Possibly more eastern Europe. Maybe somewhere warm. Perhaps even northern Africa. Must start researching, must buy guidebook(s), begin internet sear -

{Ed.'s note:

Thanks. I needed that.

Topping all the planning and traveling, we're in the midst of some professional and personal fermentation. All good stuff, but nonetheless time-consuming.

How's that for a teaser?

Hang tight, folks. I shall return soon soonish promptly eventually.

Monday Exposure: Scott's View

Is it really Sir Walter Scott's favorite view?

Dunno.

But the story goes that Scott passed by this overlook so often that his horses knew to halt here even without his command. Together they would look down the steep hill, across the meandering River Tweed, and out to the rolling hills and farmlands.

Sir Walter Scott's favorite view: over the winding banks of the River Tweed in the Scottish borders. A loop of the river carves a nearly circular valley below.

Sir Walter's Scott's tomb amidst the ruins.

The viewpoint lies near the town of Melrose in the Scottish borders. A few miles to the east lay Scott's grandarents' farm, where Scott spent a few early childhood years convalescing after polio left him lame. In the later decades of his life Scott built a home, Abbotsford House, upstream on the banks of the Tweed, a few miles west of the view. At his death, Scott's funeral procession passed by this spot on its way to his burial in the nearby Dryburgh Abbey, one of the glorious ruined border abbeys in southeast Scotland.

The three-peaked hill in the distance, Eildon Hill, is the remnant of an eons-old volcanic eruption. It lies on the path of St. Cuthbert's Way, a popular hiking trail. A small monument to Scott stands atop the middle peak. Scott's view of the hill is lovely, though better in the morning with the sun at your back than in the afternoon when you may be gazing toward the sun.

Nowadays, to enjoy Scott's View you don't need to hike or ride a horse. It's marked and accessible on a small road, B6356, a mile from Dryburgh Abbey and a few miles from the town of Melrose.

Border Abbeys — Dryburgh Abbey

Set along the River Tweed (more like a stream) in the Scottish Borders amidst farmland, Dryburgh Abbey has the most romantic setting of the various Border Abbeys. Sir Walter Scott — author of historical romances like Ivanhoe and The Bride of Lammermoor — chose the abbey as his burial place. Old trees surround the ruins, a grass floor has replaced the stone in the destroyed nave, and numerous park benches are provided for a rest or picnic.

The abbey was founded in 1150; burned by the English in 1322; rebuilt; burned again in 1385; and then rebuilt and flowered until its final destruction by the English in 1544.

Upon entry, you first encounter part of the abbey grounds that have been converted into a small and haphazard cemetery.

Grammar and Jack gambol through the grounds. Well, Jack gambols and Grammar shuffles.

Through the trees and gravestones you catch glimpses of the abbey. Eventually the trees part and you have a wonderful unofficial entry view of the ruins.

The cemetery trickles away into the ruins.

The follow-the-paved-path official entry view of the ruins looks down the nave with its grassy floor and stumpy pillars.

Looking down the nave toward the north transept.

Sir Walter Scott is buried within the remains of the north transept.

Jack makes good use of the running space while his mother takes a photo. Sir Walter Scott's tomb lies behind the red placard.

As with Kelso and Jedburgh Abbeys, the ruins of Dryburgh Abbey are a great place for a little one to run and climb and explore. The Dryburgh Abbey ruins function less as a historical landmark and more as a public park with beautiful scenery and stone playgrounds.

Jackson exploring, never still, never at rest.

Having conquered the remains of a pillar, he must now wildly swing mommy's camera.

These ruins are also a great place for older folks (ahem) to climb and explore:

Sometimes you have to ignore the metal grates blocking your access up a crumbling staircase so you can catch a glimpse of your lovely wife down below in the ruins.

Dryburgh Abbey also allows your dogs to come romp and play. Isn't this a very picturesque dog park?

A view of the back of the abbey. Mattie waited patiently only because she had already exhausted herself playing.

As the day faded into late afternoon, Mattie and I sat and watched the shadow slowly proceed across the cloister:

The monks here enjoyed a cloister quite large in comparison to the size of the abbey overall.

Like our visits to the other Border Abbeys, we encountered few tourists. And given the size of the site, everyone had plenty of space for solitude and contemplation.

Dryburgh was our last stop of the day. We ran out of time to visit Melrose Abbey, which I understand is the most complete of the ruined Border Abbeys. It is definitely on my list to visit this fall.

Two out of four looking at the camera? That's above our usual average.

Tourist books don't seem to emphasize these Border Abbeys, which I think is a mistake. To my mind, they are among the best sites in southern Scotland. Moreover, the scenic drive connecting the abbeys is a nonstop series of beautiful vistas and charming villages. They make a great day trip from Edinburgh or Glasgow, providing a respite from the urban centers and heavily touristed sites in the cities.

Border Abbeys — Jedburgh Abbey

Jedburgh Abbey is my favorite of the three Border Abbey ruins (Kelso, Jedburgh, and Dryburgh) that we visited last weekend. I wish the abbey was more remote, but it is surrounded by the town almost as much as Kelso Abbey. Nevertheless, it strikes a commanding pose on the hill leading down to the river, made more so by the sky and trees peeking through the symmetrical stacked rows of arches. The two long walls of arches — rounded Romanesque arches on the (older) bottom and slightly pointed early Gothic arches on the (newer) top — makes up the bulk of the view, with partly intact towers on both ends.

Blue sky and trees peeking through the open arches of Jedburgh Abbey.

It typically took more than 100 years to build a massive structure like this. Between the founding of Jedburgh Abbey and its completion, it got caught between the older Romanesque style of rounded arches on the bottom and the newer Gothic style of pointed arches on the top.

Archeological digs have excavated the footings of other parts of the abbey, including the cloisters and the cellars. The abbey was founded in 1138 and expanded over time, cascading down the hill toward the river. The audioguide available at the entrance provides some useful information. These many small rooms and low walls are great for young ones to climb and explore.

Not much remains of the various work buildings.

Only parts of the cellars are left.

The best view, however, is standing alone in the middle of the nave with no one else around. The walls of stacked arches stretch skyward, but no roof remains to meet them. It's slightly wondrous that these nearly 900 year old walls stand as straight and intact as they do without a roof to brace them, approximately 450 years after the abbey's destruction during the "Rough Wooing" period between England and Scotland. They don't even seem to lean much, which I guess must be due to their characteristically thick Romanesque bases.

Looking down the nave of Jedburgh Abbey.

Another great view can be found by climbing a narrow winding staircase inside one of the towers. You can see some of the fine architectural details best from this height, such as the skilled masonry involved in creating the arches. I was reminded a bit of an ancient Roman aqueduct, like Pont du Gard in southern France.

View down the nave from within the tower.

One of the best things about these ruins is the ability to focus on the architecture of the structure. The interior clutter — statutes, shrines, candles, organs, altars, etc. — of an intact cathedral or church has been stripped away. The stained glass windows are gone. All that is left is the form and stonework. While I love all the details and colors and vibrancy you can find in intact cathedrals and churches, I found the starkness of Jedburgh Abbey refreshing and clarifying.

Each stone had to be quarried, handcrafted into an exact shape and size, and then lifted into place.

No clutter distracts from the form and architectural details.

Jedburgh Abbey is a ruin I could happily visit multiple times, enjoying its structure and angles and blank spaces. Ideally, I'd go at sunrise or sunset, though the opening and closing times don't facilitate such visits except during the short daylight hours of a Scottish winter. The kid in me wants to hop the fence at sunset and set up a tent inside the nave, watching the light fade, maybe set a campfire to watch the resulting shadows, and sleep gazing up between the walls at the stars.

Backlit arches.

We had the abbey mostly to ourselves, even on a summer weekend afternoon. A handful of people also wandered the grounds. As we left the Jedburgh Abbey ruins, Grammar remarked she thought she might like ruined abbeys even more than the intact ones. Kate agreed. Do I agree? I straddle the fence, loving both kinds of experiences. For me, not much is more awe-inspiring than entering a massive cathedral like Notre Dame in Paris or St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. But I can feel more moved, perhaps more spiritual, in bare, quiet ruins.

Border Abbeys — Kelso Abbey

Not much remains of Kelso Abbey. One tower and the crossing to another tower survive, thick Romanesque walls with rounded arches. The town of Kelso has encircled the abbey and cuddles close. The only remaining green space around the abbey has been used for a cemetery.

The shops in Kelso cuddle close to Kelso Abbey.

Romanesque architecture of Kelso Abbey is evident in its large towers, thick walls, rounded arches, and symmetry.

Founded in 1128, this abbey eventually became one of the largest and richest in Scotland. It was periodically under attack from English occupiers in wars between England and Scotland, but continually rebuilt. In the 1540s, during the so-called "Rough Wooing" — when Henry VIII was attacking Scotland and trying to force the Scots to submit to having the young Mary, Queen of Scots, marry Henry's son Edward -— the abbey was largely destroyed. Parts of the abbey were utilized later as a parish kirk (i.e., church) and gaol (i.e., jail). Eventually, much of the abbey's stones were used for other buildings in Kelso, and most of the remaining rubble was cleared away in the early 19th century.

Kelso Abbey's grounds are used for a cemetery.

Today, Kelso Abbey rises above the town serenely, more a park than a ruin. Entry is free. No staff or other attendants are regularly at the abbey. Only a few placards describe items of interest.

A placard showing a guess of what Kelso Abbey looked like before it was destroyed.

Kate reading about the ruins.

We had the ruins almost entirely to ourselves. A few metal supports and some netting help hold the abbey together, which for me diminishes the ambience. I understand it wouldn't be prudent to allow blocks of stone to fall and crush tourists, but modern intrusions into this medieval structure are incongruous and unwelcome. I'd rather assume the slight risk of injury and enjoy the ruins as they stood for centuries.

Kelso Abbey is worth a visit if you're like me and want to see as many ruins as you can, even minor ones. But many travelers would likelier be happier spending their time at the other Border Abbeys, which are more extensive and impressive.

Weekend activities

We had a fun weekend of family-friendly tourist sites. Jackson and I started on Friday morning with a walk to a nearby construction site. We spent 30 minutes watching from various vantage points, as diggers dropped dirt into dumpers, forklifts carried stacks of wood, and cement mixers swirled and deposited cement. Our walk last Wednesday had similarly passed this construction site.  Last Thursday Jackson was distressed that rain prevented any construction activities, so I knew watching construction on Friday would be a hit. In fact, we spent almost 30 minutes this morning (Monday) at the construction site, and we would have spent more time except the workers went on break. I fear we're becoming construction site groupies.

Jackson likes to instruct the workers: "Diggers keep moving!"  "Dumpers back up!"

Jackson currently is smitten with construction vehicles, most particularly diggers. When reading before naptime or bedtime, out of more than 100+ books he almost always picks books about construction vehicles, whether it's a picture book naming various machines or a book about dinosaurs operating construction vehicles. This obsession follows earlier obsessions with trains ("choo choos") and airplanes. I suppose it's really an obsession with any vehicles, since he usually carries around a school bus, police car, and Hummer. Vehicles -- metal, plastic, Lego, small, large, old, 70s-vibe, new -- are his daily raison d'être. 

Later on Friday morning, Jack and Grammar and I headed over to the Kelvingrove Art Museum and Gallery.

Kelvingrove Art Museum and Gallery. Jackson abandoned pushing his pram {Ed.'s note: that's "stroller" to you Americans} and exited stage right to chase pigeons.

This wonderful museum was a big hit with Jackson, though we ventured into only three of its many rooms. Indeed, Jack easily could have spent a couple of hours wandering in just one of the main exhibit halls, which bursts with stuffed wildlife, a WWII plane, and myriad random pieces. In other rooms are art galleries and a multitude of exhibits on things like ancient Egyptians and Scottish history and architecture and so on. I'm sure I'll write more about Kelvingrove at a later time, since it looks destined to be part of our regular kiddo (and adult) entertainment.

One of the large exhibit halls in the Kelvingrove museum.

Jackson saw that the plane had no pilot and asked, "Pilot napping?"

We ate lunch at the Kelvingrove while listening to one of the daily organ concerts. The organ is adequate and certainly fills the room with sound, but the musical selection on Friday -- emphasizing fluff like "Memories" from Cats -- was disappointing.

Tuna fish sandwiches go well with organ concerts.

After three hours in the Kelvingrove we went home for naptime and playing in the park.

On Saturday, we took a driving tour through some of the Borders region of Scotland. We stopped first at Rosslyn Chapel, most recently famous because of The Da Vinci Code.

Mysterious Rosslyn Chapel emerges at the top of a hill.

Rosslyn Chapel is a wonder of stonemasonry and carving. Much of the interior of the chapel is covered with intricate carvings and friezes. A number of scholars conspiracy theorists like to find hidden meanings in the carvings, claiming secret knowledge and connections to the Freemasons and Knights Templar. Unfortunately, photography isn't allowed inside the chapel. Later this week I plan to write a longer post about the chapel.

We then traveled south through the rolling hills to the Border Abbey ruins of Kelso, Jedburgh, and Dryburgh. These magnificent abbeys were the subjects of repeated attacks by English armies during wars between England and Scotland. The abbeys were mostly destroyed by armies of Henry VIII in the 1540s. They linger as evocative ruins, open for clambering exploration and photography bait.

We first visited Kelso Abbey, of which little remains. These ruins are worth only a short stop, since there isn't all that much left of the abbey to see.

Kate in red provides a sense of the size of the Kelso Abbey ruin. 

The town of Kelso is charming, and we had a fun meal at The Hoot 'n' Cat Coffee Shop, which we highly recommend. They offered buckets of toys for the wee ones to play with, cooked fast and tasty food, had clean bathrooms, and supplied cheerful service. We wish we could transplant The Hoot 'n' Cat to Glasgow.

The Hoot 'n' Cat is a terrific coffee shop in Kelso.

We stopped next at Jedburgh Abbey. It was the most impressive of the ruined abbeys we visited.  Though it has no roof, its walls still thrust skyward. The abbey has a storybook or movie-quality ambience.

Kate taking a breather from chasing Jackson around the ruins of Jedburgh Abbey.

It was impossible to take a bad photograph of Jedburgh Abbey.

We then drove on to Dryburgh Abbey. This abbey was more remote than the others and gave a sense of seclusion. Only parts of it remain, but you can get a sense of how and where the monks lived within its walls. Of the three abbeys we visited, this was the most friendly for Jack, allowing him ample room to run and climb and explore.

A corner of the Dryburgh Abbey ruins.

Given our slow pace, we ran out of time to visit Melrose Abbey, the fourth major Borders Abbey; it is definitely on our list of places to visit in the future. I hope to write more about these abbeys later this week.

On our drive home we stopped at Scott's View, supposedly Sir Walter Scott's favorite vista. It was nice, but nothing spectacular.

To be honest, this view from the side of the road about 1/4 mile from Scott's View is a better vantage point.

On Sunday, we decided to sleep as late as Jack would let us, which thankfully turned out to be 8:30 in the morning. Since he usually wakes around 7:00 or 7:30, this was a nice surprise. After a lazy morning we headed to Mugdock Country Park, a sprawling wooded park on the northwestern edge of Glasgow. On our way, we enjoyed the rolling hills and farmland that border the city.

Cows grazing near the road on the way to Mugdock Country Park.

We are continually surprised that Glasgow can seemingly disappear once we go around a bend in the road, and suddenly we find ourselves in the midst of countryside.

Mugdock park looks to be a bonanza for hiking, dogwalking, and kid entertainment. We were planning only a quick trip to see what we would find, and ended up spending a couple of hours wandering with Mattie and letting Jackson romp in a play area on the grounds.